My Gut Reaction

Labs and more labs… this has been my life lately! For once they don’t think this is related to my Crohn’s. They are making sure it’s not some bone marrow disorder.

Didn’t record my 3rd dose of the COVID vaccine but I got it!!

Some days you need to call out of work and go to the beach. Spending time with the ones I love is what I call

Looking for

Are there any other labs that you suggest getting?!

The doctor was telling me how difficult it is to catch. She said that thyroid levels change from hour to hour.

I have been tested before but it's always come back normal.

Here's to hoping for some kind of answers!

This was my list of 29 things to do before I turned 30! Looking back at my goals, I think I did pretty dang well last year, giving all the hardships we faced with COVID-19 and the lockdowns. ** This is all depending on COVID ** Be healthy – well healthier I managed to do this, sort of . I did stay out of the hospital for 6 months!!...

29 Things to do Before my 30’s- update This was my list of 29 things to do before I turned 30! Looking back at my goals, I think I did pretty dang well last year, giving all the hardships we faced with COVID-19 and the lockdowns. ** Thi…

Who else feels that the more flares you have, the harder they are to recoup from?!!🙋🏻‍♀️

So this last flare kicked my butt, literally. With work, my daughter, and being sick, I couldn't handle anything else. I took 3 days off of work and didn't move from my bed. I couldn't keep my eyes open.

I had that feeling of wanting to give up take over. I could feel the depression and anxiety take over just about every thought. All I wanted was to be in my bed. My shoulders hurt so much from just laying down but it was still all I wanted.

The steroids and antibiotics took more out of me. I stopped walking from overall fatigue I gained weight which adds to the depression and I'm swollen. Triple whammy.

This last week I found getting out of bed a little bit easier. I found showering back to my daily routine. I even shaved my legs. I was able to get up and walk.

I am trying so hard to find the energy and motivation to get back into “normal” day-to-day life. I want to use these last 6 months in 2021 to crush my goals I set!

Hello everyone! It’s time for the WEGO health awards!

My blog has been nominated again!!! Now I need your help to be a finalist again.

Click the link and endorse me!

Gotguts08 | Patient Leader | WEGO Health I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2008, the summer of my senior year of high school. Little did I know that the worst stomach pain of my life would change everything I knew. When I started college at FSU I wound up needing TPN before my surgery with fistulas for my Crohn's. A few years later in 2013 I...

Transformation Tuesday birthday edition!!

Do you know that saying that aging like wine? I 100% relate to that.

I know I have a lost a ton of weight but it’s not even about that. I feel like a totally different person. I have a level of confidence that I can’t even explain!

I can do more.
I can keep up with my daughter.
I can be me.

I no longer feel the need to hide in jackets or my daughter. I am so happy she gets to see this side of me. I want her to grow up with a positive mindset. She is in that stage of copying everything I do. I have had to take a step back and think about EVERYTHING!

When I look at myself in the mirror, I typically look at myself and either smile or some kind of disgust look. I have had to change my mindset because I want her to never see me or herself and be unhappy with herself.

Yes, I am still tired 99.9% of the day.
I still have flares.
I still have binging episodes.
I still think I look “bigger” than I want to be.

I just have to remind myself that my health and body are thankful!

I just know my 30’s will be my best decade yet!!

Looking back on my last decade on this planet, I can see just how much I have grown and the potential I have.

In my 20s I had:
Surgery for my Crohn’s
was fed by IV
Lost my grandparents
Lost my dog
Got married
Got divorced
Got diagnosed with PCOS
Got my masters
Got pregnant
Had a beautiful baby girl
Started my licensure process

But most importantly, I got to a place where I am at peace with myself.

I learned how to stand up for what I believe in and listen to my body.

I am so excited to move on to my 30s. I think with all the hard obstacles I had to face, I will be better prepared and just have an overall better outlook.

I will appreciate my body and what it is doing for me.

I will keep working on my relationship with food. I will not let it dictate my life. Emotional eating is not my friend. I am working on listening to my feelings and channel that energy into something productive.

I will keep moving my body.


I will be able to make more memories with my little one. I have to remember that I am teaching her by example and love every moment of it.

Here’s to my 30s!!!

I am so ecstatic to see MY face on the email for the 10th Annual Health Awards!

You can go and nominate someone who has made an impact in your health journey!

Who else feels trapped in their bodies by their autoimmune and invisible illnesses?!?🙋🏻‍♀️

I constantly feel like a prisoner to my health. Just about everything I do revolves around the,” How is this going to affect my health”? From what I eat, how much I do, how much sleep I get, how stressed I am. It is exhausting!

I took this picture at my lost hospital stay. I remember waking up from a drugged-induced nap and thought, “ Oh, s**t, it looks and feels like I am in jail”! I saw the bars and felt trapped. I was hooked up to IV machines, heart monitors, pulse reader, and couldn't get up without help. I realized I was trapped. I was trapped in a sick body. The more I stared at the light reflection, the more I wanted to be outside but just realized how I didn't have the energy to do so.

I know I have more good days than bad. The bad days just take days, to weeks to get over. It is such a blow to my mental state. I go back to that trapped feeling, my jail.

with IBD day coming up this week I want others to know that they are not alone. This feeling of being imprisoned or trapped happens to all of us. I think the true strength and the stories we tell, make us who we are. They tell our story of how we constantly push out of our prisons to live every day.

hard work and dedication to my health! My health still has its ups and downs, but I am by far healthier!

After being told I wouldn’t be able to have children, year after year, I had put in my mind that I wouldn’t ever celebrate Mother’s Day.

After 8ish years of thinking and believing this, my body decided it was time for the best surprise of my life.

My little miracle has given my life so much purpose. She has given me so much strength and perseverance. I love being your mom.

Mother’s Day just reminds me of how blessed I am to be able to hold and live life with you.

I know many ladies who walk the same path as me, with these diagnoses, don’t get this opportunity and my heart goes out to you. Don't lose hope 💕

My whole family was on edge and all I could do was sleep. I was so tired. I didn't have the energy to move. Monday came, I went to work with the idea when I got the call I would leave to call them back at home. I got the call at 10 am and left work 5 min later. I called when I got home and got the news that it was not cancer....

PET Scan Results My whole family was on edge and all I could do was sleep. I was so tired. I didn’t have the energy to move. Monday came, I went to work with the idea when I got the call I would leave to call…

PET scan day: My anxiety is at an all-time high. Tears, yelling, shaking, and racing, and whatever else I can think of. I didn't sleep and have the worst shoulder back pain ever. Prep work; Thankfully, there is little prep for this procedure. 12 hours before, don’t eat any sugars or carbs. The other big one was no strenuous or vigorous activities....

PET Scan Day PET scan day: My anxiety is at an all-time high. Tears, yelling, shaking, and racing, and whatever else I can think of. I didn’t sleep and have the worst shoulder back pain ever. Prep work; T…

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo style ❤️

Since late December, I have been dealing with my throat issues. I had this horrible pain and sore throat feeling. I ended up having this inflamed abscess on my tonsil, so they thought. I ended up in the er, thinking it needed to be drained. When they did a CT scan, they told me it looked like cancer... They have me see an ear, nose, and throat doctor who says I do not fit the criteria for throat cancer....

Finding Out I Need a PET Scan Since late December, I have been dealing with my throat issues. I had this horrible pain and sore throat feeling. I ended up having this inflamed abscess on my tonsil, so they thought. I ended up i…

Who loves breakfast?!

🙋🏻‍♀️ I do, but I am guilty of skipping it most days. When I get in a hurry or am worried my stomach will act up, it’s the first thing to go.

My stomach always gives me a hard time in the morning and I have to wake up about an hour before to not feel rushed to have that sense of security before I venture out and out of the safety of my own bathroom.

I know skipping a meal isn’t the best but it works for me at times. On the weekends, I can take my time and prepare whatever my heart desires😍

Today I was feeling something filling and energy filled. I like to go for a walk on Sunday morning.

My go-to meal is typically a sweet potato sliced thinly, avocado, and some tomatoes 😍 this meal is easy and the right amount of body fuel I need to keep up with my toddler!

Whenever you are not feeling well, a bowl of soup is always your best bet! Before I got my 2nd dose of the COVID vaccine, I decided to make a batch to help me if I felt any symptoms. I used bone broth, veggies, chicken, cassava noodles, and sweet potatoes! What you need: Chicken Breast ( I used 2 large ones) …...

Chicken Soup Whenever you are not feeling well, a bowl of soup is always your best bet! Before I got my 2nd dose of the COVID vaccine, I decided to make a batch to help me if I felt any symptoms. I used bone br…

Who doesn’t love a good waffle?!

In my AIP journey, I discovered my sensitivity to eggs that has now turned into an allergic reaction.

Eggs seem to the glue that holds most treats together! They are also delicious when oozing all over your hamburger 😭( I keep telling myself I’m not sad)

Learning how to eat eggless has been a challenge but thanks to social media it’s been easier to see ideas and share my own!

My latest blog post is about these bad boys!!

“And in the morning, I am making waffles!” Breakfast is my favorite meal to create. Some of my best cooking memories come from making everyone in the house some form of scrambled eggs. I took so much pride in my very picky mom requesting my cuisine! Growing up I was not able to cook at all because my mom hated messes....

AIP Waffles “And in the morning, I am making waffles!” Breakfast is my favorite meal to create. Some of my best cooking memories come from making everyone in the house some form of scrambled eggs. I took so mu…

I have said this OVER and OVER again, cooking is a huge passion of mine. I love expressing myself in my meals. Living with a chronic illness, I have developed this love/ hate relationship with food. Cooking used to seem like a chore to keep me from getting sick. I think the moment I stopped looking at food as a chore and more as body fuel, it clicked....

Shape of you! My feelings food! I have said this OVER and OVER again, cooking is a huge passion of mine. I love expressing myself in my meals. Living with a chronic illness, I have developed this love/ hate relationship with food…

Update on Pill Cam Test- Look at that flicker ! The pill cam was nothing like I had imagined it. It had this glowing light and was very hard to swallow! Once I got it down, they strapped this belt all around me. It had this blue flickering light and vibrated from time to time! I worked all day while I was rocking the hardware- I was able to eat a small light lunch- I had my fav, a banana and some more bone broth!...

Update on Pill Cam Test Update on Pill Cam Test- Look at that flicker ! The pill cam was nothing like I had imagined it. It had this glowing light and was very hard to swallow! Once I got it down, they strapped this belt …

Latest blog post ❤️

gotguts 08 on TikTok Paleo Burrito BowlLatest blog post- link in bio!

Who doesn’t love a good burrito bowl?! I love how easy, tasty, filling, and he different options you have can! They honestly hit all the boxes for me! Cauliflower is a huge staple in my house! I love it in just about anything. So when I can use it as rice, I do! White rice is a weakness of mine. Growing in a Cuban house hold, rice is a staple....

Burrito Bowl Who doesn’t love a good burrito bowl?! I love how easy, tasty, filling, and he different options you have can! They honestly hit all the boxes for me! Cauliflower is a huge staple in my house! I lo…

Possible small bowl issues/ fistula— is the new story of my life! Well not really new, its been almost TWO years of this! So, I did a few stool test and they came back okay- all within normal markers but I am still feeling sick and my local GI agreed with my Mississippi GI, to do a pill cam to look at my small bowl....

Fistula, Fistula, Wherefore Art Thou Fistula! Possible small bowl issues/ fistula— is the new story of my life! Well not really new, its been almost TWO years of this! So, I did a few stool test and they came back okay- all within normal marke…

This was a lot easier to share in a video then it has been to write down. I feel like every time I put I tried to put it into words I started to cry or my anxiety got worse. They did not have ports kits in the ER! My face when I got home after getting that news Not used to seeing anything other than intestines on a screen!...

In Other Health News…. This was a lot easier to share in a video then it has been to write down. I feel like every time I put I tried to put it into words I started to cry or my anxiety got worse. They did not have ports…